“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Matthew 8:58

It’s difficult to pick a favorite name for God, but which one describes Him more fully than I AM? Genesis is the first place we hear this name for God. Genesis 2:4 -25 gives a detailed account of the 6th Day of Creation when God created Adam and Eve.  “. . . the LORD God made earth and heaven.” Genesis 2:4  The name LORD in all caps is translated from Hebrew – ‘YHWH’ which means the active, self-existent One. It’s closely tied to the meaning to be. YHWH, or LORD, in our English text, occurs 6,823 times in the Old Testament and is especially associated with God’s holiness, His hatred of sin, and His gracious provision of redemption.

In Exodus 3, God met Moses on the mountain and appeared to him in a burning bush – calling Himself, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ I love the meaning behind the name Yahweh.  The inner meaning emphasizes God’s dynamic and active self-existence. There on the mountain, He spoke to Moses about his calling to set God’s people free.  I love the story of Moses because he is a Christ-type in the Old Testament that foreshadows what Jesus will fulfill for us in the New Testament.  He has set us free and led us out of captivity from sin.  Colossians 1:15 tell us that Jesus is the exact image of the invisible God and He declared his deity and unity with the Father over and over during His ministry on earth.  Jesus is also the Great I AM and he declared it on many occasions.

In John 8, Jesus was teaching in the temple and facing his accusers, the Pharisees, and toward the end of the conversation, they asked if He thought He was greater that Abraham: 

“Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” John 8:53-59

That is one of the most powerful statements in all of Jesus’ ministry.  He was declaring who He was and the Jews rejected Him for it because they were spiritually blind.

The Gospel of John also records the famous seven I AM statements of Jesus.  I love that Jesus took the time to declare His authority and His all-sufficient nature.

Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48, 51)

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” John 6:35

He is our source of life and everything we need can be found in Him.

Light of the World (John 8:12; 9:5)

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world: he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’”

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4-5

Those who know Him will never walk in darkness and will have His light gifted to us by the power of the Holy Spirit. This brings me hope beyond hope, because we do live in a dark world and at times it seems like darkness surrounds us.  But we know that His light swallows up the darkness.

The Door / Gate (John 10:7, 9)

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door, if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’” John 10:7-10

Jesus is our doorway to new life and freedom in Christ.

Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14)

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.” John 10:14

Jesus is our Good Shepherd just like Psalm 23 tells us!

Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:25-26

Jesus’ death would have been all for nothing with the absence of His resurrection. Without this truth, our Salvation in Christ would not be available. His resurrection sealed our payment for sins and provided a way of redemption through His death on the cross.

The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14:6)

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” John 14:6

He is our only way to eternal life with God.  He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life.

True Vine (John 15:1, 5)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5

This chapter is on my top 10 favorites.  I love John 15 because it reminds me that He accomplishes His work in my life. I don’t have to worry about doing all the things, and checking all the boxes. I simply need to abide in Him and He will produce fruit in me. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t come without obedience or sacrifice, but it takes the pressure off knowing that no matter how many good works my hands find to do, I can’t produce fruit on my own.  He does it through me and for me!

The last three I AM statements of Jesus I want to cover are at the end of the Bible in the book of Revelation.  I don’t think it’s any coincidence that John was also the writer of this book.  In Revelation 22, Jesus is addressing the churches and giving them hope reminding them (us) that He is coming again! 

The Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 22:13)

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me. to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:12-13

Back in John 1, we read that Jesus was in the beginning with God and in Hebrews we read that He is the author and perfector of faith. When He comes, we will no longer need faith because we will see Him as He truly is. 

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith who the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

The Root and the Descendent of David 

AND 

The Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches, I am the root and the descent of David, the bright and morning star.” Revelation 22:16

This is another way of saying, He’s the beginning and the end, the author and finisher, the source of light and life.  He created the entire world in the beginning but humbled Himself to be born into the bloodline that He created, sustained, and protected it to cue His arrival at the exact time He chose. It’s mind-blowing what our God has done to secure our eternity with Himself. We don’t deserve His kindness and faithfulness but we have it freely because He has chosen to lavish His love on us! 

Jesus is the Great I AM. 

Considering all that He has done to secure your eternal destiny, how can you abide deeply in the Great I AM today? 

Ardently His,

Jessica

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